Tae kwon do is a Korean martial art which you’re probably at least a little bit familiar. Literally meaning “the way of hitting with fists and feet”. the name actually means “the art of punching and kicking”.
The four main disciplines of this sport are sparring, self defense, break test and patterns. For any person who wants to progress to a higher belt grade, he/she must exhibit competence in all four disciplines.
Tae kwon do is a sport which can be enjoyed by people of all ages, from the very young to the very old. Children as young as five can begin learning and adults often find that they gain a number of benefits from practicing the sport. Many people find that they can greatly improve their flexibility as well as sharpen their minds using this sport and children as young as five can also benefit from the teachings of this martial art. It also kept my mind sharp when I had to memorize all the various patterns.
If you want to get started though, you’ll have to pick up some essential Tae kwon do equipment. The first thing you will want to get your hands on is a dobok; this is a Tae kwon do uniform, typically a plain white one. First and foremost is a Tae kwon do uniform; also called a dobok, this is generally a plain white garment which is customarily kept clean and pressed – your personal appearance certainly counts in this sport. When you first begin this sport, most schools prefer that you wear a plain white uniform.
A chest protector is another piece of equipment you’ll need. If you plan to compete, then you should get one which also protects your shoulders. When you look at chest protectors, make sure to get one which uses ties rather than Velcro as a fastener, since these protectors are far easier to adjust for a good fit.
The next pieces of Tae Kwon do equipment you will need are shin guards. These should be large enough to protect your shins adequately, but not so large as to make bending your ankles or knees difficult. You’ll also want to pick up a set of arm protectors these are necessary for blocking kicks with your forearms. If you want to protect your entire forearm, you are going to have to see to it that your arm protectors fit really well.
A head guard is another essential piece of tae kwon do equipment; this will provide you with some protection from the high kicks which are common in sparring. It is best in this case to choose white. but the most important thing is that it’s a high quality piece of gear which is designed to efficiently absorb the impact of blows.
One piece of Tae kwon do equipment which is a necessity for sparring is a groin guard. These are similar to the cups worn by many other athletes and are worn underneath your dobok. Especially for competitions and for sparring in the Tae kwon do studio, you’ll need one of these to prevent injuries.
These are all of the pieces of Tae Kwon do equipment that are necessary to practice this sport. but if you decide you’d like to start participating in competitions, but this can wait until you decide that you’re truly serious about competing.
Tags:
chest protector,
dobok,
korean martial art,
personal appearance,
tae kwon do equipment,
tae kwon do uniform